Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
Bad news as La Selección meets before their qualifying match against Liechstein and the friendly against Argentina.

Third captain Carles Puyol did not play for FC Barcelona in their debut in La Liga over the weekend, due to some unspecified trouble in his right left leg, but he reported to the Spain NT along with the rest of the team. He was examined and declared fit, but during the warm-up exercises before the first training session on Tuesday afternoon, he felt a sharp pain on his left calf and limped to the sidelines requesting medical assistance. Several test later, the RFEF released a statement announcing he was injured and would return to Barcelona to recover, while Osasuna’s Ignacio Monreal (who was also called up for the Mexico friendly) is to fill his place in the squad.
Bad news for the Barcelona fans and those betting for the Puyol-Piqué CB partnership to last, but at least (with Raúl Albiol also injured), it forces Vicente del Bosque to figure out alternatives for this position. Personally, I was rooting for Athletic de Bilbao’s Fernando Amorebieta, who recently turned down a call from the Venezuela NT, waiting for La Roja, but Monreal is fully deserving and I’m sure he’ll do very well!
More Spain News
La Liga is here and that means… The Offside!
… and more shameless self-promotion!

The first match of this season in La Liga is playing right now, so it’s time for all of us to hail its return!
While the beginning of club season does mean that Spain NT news and updates will be more scarce (although there will be posts here, never ... [read more]
Call-up for Argentina and Liechtenstein
So, I asked yesterday who you would call up for the friendly against Argentina (September 7), and the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Liechtenstein (September 3), and consensus seemed to be, ‘new, uncapped, fringe players that need to prove their worth’.
Meet the man who ignores all your suggestions…

And find out the call-up ... [read more]
“I should have sent off Nigel de Jong,” says Howard Webb
No kidding, says I.
From which angle does this look like a yellow card?
In an interview with the BBC, the World Cup final referee said that, “Having watched the game back, there’s not a great deal I’d change. But I would change the colour of ... [read more]
Ohhh Man, Keep Sergio Ramos In His Hotel….
Ade discussed the squad list for the Mexico friendly and the various controversies surrounding the match, but I wanted to point out a lighter side of this friendly. And that is the partying habits of the young Mexican team, which Marca was so gracious to provide for all of us. Below is a few select pictures, and the entire gallery ... [read more]
Del Bosque’s List for the Friendly against Mexico
Our Wise Walrus has spoken. With the RFEF and the FMF harping on him to take all his World-Cup-winning internationals to give a good showing for the Mexican fans next Wednesday, and the clubs snarking and whining about how their preseasons are going to be disturbed by a meaningless friendy (particularly Barcelona and Sevilla, due to their Supercopa meeting), Del ... [read more]
Spain World Cup Kit
Show your support for Spain
by wearing a World Cup jersey
just like the players wear.
a Spain World Cup jersey today!
Club Football News
Daily Dose: September 1st, 2010.
Don't do this. A little virtual in reality. (The Best Eleven) RvdV has been taking tanning lessons from CR. (Never Captain Nicky Butt) Pele's newest digs - for you. (Football Fashion) The men who put themselves in the middle. (Futfanatico) Mino Raiola is fat, brokers phat deals. (Italy Offside) Mourinho isn't Harry Potter - not yet ...
Chile Combats Whining With Ex-Con Referees
There's every chance this is the best story we've yet featured here, at least the one fraught with the most simultaneously delightful and harrowing possibilities, and there's an equal chance there's not a hint of hyperbole in that statement. A Chilean prison is training ex-convicts for life on the outside with ...
AC Milan: Now the Most Exciting Football Team in the World
Quite the 24 hours for Milan fans, with the club first signing the high-kicking Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Barcelona on a one year loan deal (with the option to make it permanent for €24m next summer) and then paying &euro:21 to 25m to permanently relieve Manchester City of Robinho's lollipops just ...
Daily Dose: August 31st, 2010.
Patrice Evra tells us he trains less than everybody else. You don't really hear that often. Arjen Robben's the man in the middle, arriving from the right. (ESPN) The make-weight has left. (Sid Lowe) Ridding football of homophobia. (Who Ate All The Pies) Time to take betting advice from Thai children. (Dirty Tackle) Brazil is ...
Mind Blowing Social Experiment Of The Day
This is Sao Paolo, Brazil during the Holland-Brazil World Cup quarterfinal in South Africa. See if you notice something missing. Explanation after the jump. Answer: People. São Paulo is not only the biggest city in Latin America but is also packed with people all over: The traffic is so regular that no ...
Stjarnan Are Gentlemen, Close The Lid
Stjarnan's latest and greatest goal celebration has the world (read: me) wondering to which depths they'll plummet yet, now with the "human toilet" experience fully achieved. The good money may be pushing the boundaries of simulation and reality, with their next goal followed by the goal scorer peeing on an ...
Two A-League Footballers Banned for Diving
Big diving controversy in Australia this week, which I found out about while reading David's post on the A-League Offside blog. Patricio Perez of the Central Coast Mariners and Michael Baird of Perth Glory both won penalties over the weekend with suspicious looking falls to the floor. Not so strange, ...
Premier League Homegrown Rule and Squad Limits Explained
With the transfer window closing today, I know a lot of Premier League fans are asking about the new homegrown rule and how it affects their clubs. Hearing that there's a 25 man squad limit or that every team has to have at least eight "homegrown" players has caused some ...
USER COMMENTS
Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
Oh well Iker is younger than both so it won't matter :) I reckon Puyol would be a better captain ... [Read More]Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
No problem Ade. Stumbled upon this blog jsut before the World Cup and loved it. Keep up the good wor ... [Read More]Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
You're of course right about Nacho, Rojillo. This is what I get for doing posts past midnight wh ... [Read More]Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
Monreal is a left back. Also his name is Nacho (Ignacio) Monreal not Oscar. Gora Osasuna! ... [Read More]Carles Puyol Injured; Monreal to Take His Place
alvaro dominguez is the perfect replacement for puyol ... [Read More]

World


